A Diadem of Blue and Bronze
by ShardedGlass
Summary: Helena Ravenclaw was the daughter of the famous Hogwarts founder. Beautiful, intelligent and powerful. What would go wrong? What is the hidden story that led to the lost diadem, the dead daughter and the opening of the Chamber of Secrets?


**The intro to my story. R+R's would be appreciated. :)**

**It'll be shorter than following chapters, I promise.**

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><p>In the year 1008, a castle once stood tall and powerful. Its tall towers would scrape the clouds and its stonework made it stand tall and impressive, a fortress over a wide lake. When the blue dash of sky would mellow into darkness and reveal the stars, the light came not from the sun, but from the flickering candles inside the castle, their orange glow visible through the multitude of windows and openings dented into it.<p>

To a Muggle, this castle didn't exist. It was a wasteland which held wooden signposts, warning passers-by and highway men that there was immense danger ahead, and that they should not go forward if they valued their breaths. In the days where Christianity was so potent in the minds of Muggles similar warnings would also make references to god and the end times.

But to hundreds of Witches and Wizards around the British Isles – and even some in continental Europe – this castle bore their futures. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not very old. In fact, it was merely eighteen years old. Eighteen years ago it had been founded by two great Wizards and two great Witches who met together, under the request of the Ministry, to educate the future generations of Witches and Wizards and ensure they honed their powers to aid the Wizarding World.

Of these four founders one was Salazar Slytherin, a silent man who stood tall with bald hair and a grey goatee. He was once Minister of Magic, a man whose magical prowess was much, much greater than the average Witch or Wizard in his day. His cunning and resourcefulness had aided him greatly in politics, allowing him to become Minister for Magic and aid the Wizarding World into a golden age. He had created many laws that had successfully separated the Wizarding World from the Muggle ones, shielding many from persecution and alienation. The one flaw in this great man was that, in his view, Wizards and Muggles' separation should dominate all walks of life, and a Wizards' blood must be totally pure; Salazar wanted his ambition, his cunning, his intelligence and his purity to reflect in his own house.

There was also the Witch Helga Hufflepuff, no doubt an exceptional Witch, though she was not famed for her power or her food charms, but for her kind heart. The plumb, red haired witch had been at the centre of legislature that made life safer and easier for all – she had given creatures such as House Elves and Hippogriffs many legal protections, she had made poor students of magical ability have the ability to be educated and housed, creating equal opportunity for many. Helga's big heart showed when she made her house inclusive for all, the only requirements for Hufflepuff being that they work hard and had a heart of gold.

Godric Gryffindor was a bold man, famed for his bravery, nerve and power. Despite his hardened face and his unkempt mane, those who stood in the presence of this great, tall man knew he was a powerful force for good. He had defeated the Dark Lord, Viscera Kant, and the hundreds of his followers single handedly, only possessing his wand and his sword. Hoping the future generation would carry his courage, nobility and power, Godric ensures those in his house were all brave and chivalrous.

And Rowena Ravenclaw? Well... She was having to reassure her daughter.

The two apparated into Rowena's office, one which was situated in the highest tower. From the domed glass ceiling the stars could be seen visibly, and directly beneath this dome – always in constant motion, reflecting the exact alignments of the real planets and stars. Rowena was a wise witch; the mountains of towering rosewood shelves, seemingly hundreds, all threatened to burst its crammed contents of read books away. Rowena had mixed her knowledge with her innate innovation; she was famous as being the creator of many common spells Wizards use today, such as _Incendio, Lumox, Protego _and _Aguamenti, _to name a few. Naturally, she picked her students based off their intelligence and creativity.

And her tall, awkward daughter strolled around her office, waiting for the sorting to commence in five minutes. Her father was the head of the Wizengamot, her mother one of the four founders, leaders and house creators of Hogwarts, so naturally she herself was a very intelligent girl. But in her bright eyes she lacked a self confidence, a belief in herself. She wanted to be a Ravenclaw like her mother – like her surname – but was worried at the prospect of being sorted into a different house. Into the impulsive Gryffindors, the cruel Slytherins, the somewhat unremarkable Hufflepuffs...

"Mother," her well spoken voice announced. She looked to her mother, whose features mirrored her own so well. Rowena was sat at a desk, scribbling something neatly down onto parchment. Rowena noticed it was an ancient script. "I'm worried."

"Worried?" Rowena said, her Scottish accent prominent. Her brow raised slightly. "About?"

"Being sorted into another house... one that isn't Ravenclaw, my namesake."

Rowena smiled amused, dipping her quill into an inkwell and quickly resuming writing. She talked, more to herself than to Helena: "Ah, of course. Every single student is nervous on their first day of Hogwarts. Worried about their house, worried about how they'll get here..." She mumbled the next sentence hurriedly. "Fortunately for you apparating is one of my many talents, which some magical parents can't quite say. But you have nothing to worry about."

"Do you think I'll be Ravenclaw?" Helena's grey eyes glanced at her mother. She had read a lot – fiction and non-fiction. Her mother had already trained her with magical theory, taught her how to handle a wand, basic numerology, the names of the basic yet necessary charms to get by in life... When Helena obtained her wand from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley only a fortnight ago, she felt as if she was grabbing a device her mother had trained her for her whole life. But Helena was young, a naïve twelve year old girl who both overestimated her potential and yet failed to see the power she really could hold.

"What is your surname?" Rowena said, tight lipped.

"Ravenclaw..."

"Correct," said Rowena, tapping the parchment with her wand and watching it curl up. Without a word, only waving her wand lazily, it dashed away through the corridors. With a knowing grin Rowena glanced up at Helena, her dark eyes contrasting with her daughter's grey irises. "I would be proud to have a daughter with the ambition of a Slytherin, with a courage of a Gryffindor and the kind heart of a Hufflepuff."

"But you said so yourself, mother, wit beyond measure-"

"Is man's greatest treasure," Rowena stood, her blue robes draping to the floor as she approached her daughter, touching her cheek. "And do you know what all wise people come to learn?"

"What?" Helena inquires, always curious and eager to learn.

"That our differences, our houses, our traits... ultimately these are nothing, our strengths lie in our differences," Rowena guided her daughter to through a large doorway, they entered large stone corridors. Proceeding to the great hall, Rowena continued as she approached spiral staircases: "So I am not pretty enough to care what house you're in. Do you think I'm Salazar?" She laughed sharply. "However, as my daughter I do trust I raised a child capable enough to be accepted into Ravenclaw house..."

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><p>"Helena Ravenclaw," a plumb woman with rolled up red hair and a gown of yellow announced to the hall. She paused, the famous surname leaving her lips and telling her that the daughter of a founder had been called to the sorting. Helga Hufflepuff had always been given the task of sorting the first years; something about her exuded a calming warmth that eased them a little.<p>

Helena, however, was not eased. So far only three girls had been called to the Ravenclaw table. She looked at that table, with its blue dressing, desperately wanting to join it for the feast. Maybe they'd talk about the theory of magic, magical legislature, the history of Hogwarts... praying to herself a little, Helena marched forward and tried to appear confident.

Legend had it Godric Gryffindor had animated the sorting hat, it was unbiased and the most efficient way to divide students into their respective houses. In Helena's opinion, it was a display of the Headmasters' power that he could keep a hat in a state of constant animation with the wave of a wand. She was it sit there on that old, wooden stool. It was unmoving, black and fresh. Helga scooped it up as Helena approached, and Helena squeezed her eyes shut as soon as she felt the soft fabric envelop her head.

"Ah. I smell Ravenclaw blood."

Helena blushed profusely, red clouds swirling across her pale cheeks.

"You are quite different to your mother. Your mind is as brilliant," it said to her. She wondered if others could hear. "Just as capable, if not moreso, but your mind does not work in the same balance. As a human, as a Witch, you are guided more by your heart than your head..." He paused, making a decision while Helena felt tears bubble in her eyes. She wanted desperately to prove she was her mother's daughter, that she possessed man's greatest treasure and was worthy of Ravenclaw house. "But ultimately, yes. You are a... _Ravenclaw_!"

The heat that had been incubated in Helena's cheeks seemed to shoot through her whole body. She stood up, weak kneed, pride bursting through her rapidly. She courtsied to show good grace as everyone clapped politely. However, the multitude of blue robed students on the Ravenclaw table had released raucous applause. After all, they now had a namesake, a mascot to join their house.

"Well done, dear," Helga smiled brightly, kissing Helena's cheek. "Ravenclaw is a wonderful house."

Helena marched to the Ravenclaw table as a Hospcia Wallis was sorted into Hufflepuff. She immediately passed older students who shook her hand and glanced at her, awe struck. This was their house master's daughter. It was like having a younger version of the woman they admired most sitting with them, conversing with them and dining with them.

Helena looked past a Houver Aeron be sorted into Slytherin house to see her mother, sitting with the three other founders. Helena had naturally heard so much about them, of their abilities and their conversations with her mother, but seeing the ragged Godric Gryffindor and the keen-eyed Salazar Slytherin gave her chills. And there they were, sat with her mother between them, looking as motherly as ever and subtly raising a goblet to Helena.

Helena smiled back, shocked she had done it – shocked she had made it into Ravenclaw house. She still trembled with pride, turning to see two girls who were as fresh faced as she was. Naturally, being a witch in a remote Muggle village in Scotland had led to her being extremely isolated. She didn't know how to socialise.

"I can't believe you're Rowena's..." A girl with amber eyes paused. "Wow."

"I'm Demetra," a darker haired girl said, sticking out hand out in a friendly manner. "The starstruck one is Desdemona."

"Demetra and Desdemona... that will be easy to remember," Helena laughed, shaking their hands jovially. "I'm so excited!"

"So am I!" Desdemona smiled. "It's going to be great, I'm so excited to actually learn something!"

Their hushed voices eventually grew louder as the sorting turned into a feast with the wave of a wand. Helena's goblet filled up greatly, foods fit for royalty were conjured out of nowhere. And what more, Rowena was talking to two girls who seemed as if they would eventually grow to become great friends. She was worried about Hogwarts, but deep inside she knew it was a place where she could be truly happy. Now, speaking to people, enjoying pumpkin juice and roast chicken, Desdemona did not doubt her initial convictions.


End file.
